Seminar

 

▶Subject : Control of Animal Behavior and Decision Making through TRP channels

 

▶Speaker : Prof. Craig Montell(Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

 

▶Date : 4:00PM/Aug.23(Thu)/2012

 

▶Place : Room 104, Life Science Bldg

 

* Abstract
Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) cation channels are notable in contributing to virtually every sensory modality, and in controlling a daunting array of behaviors. Flies encode 13 TRPs, most of which are expressed and function in sensory neurons, and impact behaviors ranging from phototaxis to thermotaxis, the avoidance of noxious chemicals and proprioception. In this presentation, I will describe recent work from my laboratory demonstrating how TRP channels impact on a wide variety of animal behaviors, using flies as a model organism. In many cases, TRP channels function through G-protein coupled signaling cascades that are initiated by rhodopsin. Thus, while rhodopsin was formerly thought to function exclusively in light detection, we found that different rhodopsins also initiate signaling cascades that participate in thermotaxis, chemotaxis and other behaviors. Many diseases result from defects in TRP channels, including the childhood neurodegenerative disease, MLIV, which results from mutations in TRPML1. Based on insights from a fly model for this disease, I will describe a concept for a therapy for this disease.

☎ Inquiry : Prof. Seung-jae Lee (279-2351)

 

*This Seminar will be given in English.